Life

When An 82-Year-Old Uses The Internet...

by Cecily Trowbridge

Should you be in need of a pick-me-up this fine day, I give you Kerstin Wolgers, the 82-year-old Swedish elder who tried using the Internet for the first time ever this week. As per her Reddit AMA, Wolgers signed online to investigate Twitter, Skype, Instagram, and even Tinder. She also tried her hand at Battlefield, which I've never even attempted so, you know. You go, Kerstin.

The best part about all of this is that you can go beyond reading about it and head over to her Livestream; yes, oh glorious day, the entire five-day experience will be documented (Wolgers was an actress and ballet dancer, so this isn't her first time in the spotlight). The company behind the project is Swedish MyNewsDeskNow. According to their website, they're in the market to provide a real-time news service to the world, and connecting Wolgers was the first step. A shameless PR move, yes. Fantastic nonetheless? Absolutely. MyNewsDeskNow claims that one million people in Sweden just like Wolgers live without the Internet, and while this number is lower than in many countries, given its modest population of 9.5 million, it's somewhat substantial.

Here are five lessons we've learned from Kerstin thus far, and to keep up with her project head over to the MyNewsDeskNow YouTube channel.

Now that she's been introduced to the Internet, she says she'll never go back, begging the question: Should we be connecting our own elders as well?

"I definitely see myself using the computer, and also the Internet, more and in a way that is both for my own enjoyment and for writing my memoirs.... I really liked Google. It gave me a chance to learn more about searching methods, digital news, and lots of art. I really like arts and crafts, and Google was a good way to find new art pieces. I think it will make it easier to find news and to learn about such things I would not normally come in contact with. And what I found to be very exciting exploring was definitely Skype!"

The Internet may not be as dark a place as we once thought.

"No, I actually think that the world is better with access to Internet. It opens up so many possibilities.... My tip would be encouraging people to read more poetry on the Internet. I've found so many brilliant poets! Everything has been very pleasant but at the same time very difficult. I'm sure I'll continue learning more about the Internet! I'm up for the challenge!"

When asked if she would now buy things online, she said the brick-and-mortar experience is a tough one to shake.

"No, I prefer walking into a store and being able to touch and try on the items I like."

Tinder probably needs to broaden its incredibly narrow horizons.

"I'm not sure [if I would keep using Tinder]. I don't know if anybody would find me interesting."

And Netflix may be overrated. *small twitch*

Images: MyNewsDesk.Se (1); KerstinWolgers/Reddit (1)